President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins said that he has seen a growing trend in "anti-migrant sentiment" in Ireland and that it is "deeply worrying" to witness the rise of extremist language and politics in Europe.
President Higgins spoke at the annual Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Mansion House in Dublin on Sunday where said that people across the world need work together to ensure that "hatred and inhumanity is not allowed to spread its dark shadow across Europe and the world."
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Higgins said that it was as important as ever to remember the horrific details of the Holocaust because only by remembering the past "consciously and ethically" allows people to learn from their mistakes.
He said that the rise of the far-right in Europe was a cause of major concern.
"As anti-Semitism, xenophobia, racism and intolerance are once again on the rise..., we must remember the Holocaust collectively and work together to ensure that hatred and inhumanity is not allowed to spread its dark shadow across Europe and the world."https://t.co/oLiJUTyDEP pic.twitter.com/WBix2aMUml
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) January 26, 2020
"We in Ireland had been fortunate that such extremism has not gained significant support at a time when many countries in Europe and elsewhere have seen the rise of a far-right," Higgins said.
The President said that "misused nationalism and populism" are dangerous and an example of how fragile democracy can be.
While Higgins claimed that Ireland had been fortunate not to see the same far-right movement witnessed elsewhere in Europe, he did express concerns for a growing anti-immigrant prejudice.
"An ugly anti-migrant sentiment is attempting to rear its head in Ireland."
Eibhlin Byrne, the Chair of the Holocaust Education Trust in Ireland, said that it is more important than ever to educate younger generations about the atrocities of the Holocaust and "the inhumanity which man can inflict on man when all that is decent and all that is good is lost."
Read more: My family's Holocaust story recalled during a trip to Limerick
On January 27, the President traveled to Auschwitz to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camp that contributed to the murder of over one million Jewish people.
Heads of State and camp survivors lit candles at the Memorial in the grounds of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former Nazi concentration camp.
Las na Ceanna Stáit, agus marthanóirí ón gcampa, coinnle ag an Leacht Cuimhneacháin i dtailte iarchampa géibhinn na Naitsithe.#Auschwitz75 pic.twitter.com/QsiQD6G1PG
— President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) January 27, 2020
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